This video (HERE’S the link) shows Utah teachers being trained how to use and carry a gun in school. That’s right – a GUN in school! One teacher interviewed suggests that schools might even be easy targets if there are no guns available. Another talked about how she’ll have a bra holster and the kids will never know! Both of those fine teachers ought to consider (if not members already of) this organization: The Second Amendment Sisters!

I agree with Ron Paul (that’s the Virginia Right story of 2012 right there!) that we do not need armed police in schools but rather an armed citizenry, properly trained and permitted. Here is the text of the Second Amendment for the Constitution like the Bible most dear is best studied with the actual words first:

“A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”

The purpose of the Second Amendment is to protect the Constitutional Republic from tyranny. Well, there are other issues that could arise to disturb the public peace such as armed intruders in our schools. We need to consider responsible gun laws that allow law-abiding, trained citizens to carry guns in the schools under a concealed carry permit. Certainly I could support some reasonable regulation such as reporting to the office the existence of the firearm but there is no doubt – we need to have the right to bear arms. People are not required to have a firearm.

I was pleased to see Governor McDonnell talk about some sort of right for education officials, including teachers to be armed. Of course, here’s an interesting comment from Cong. Connolly:

Northern Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly, a Democrat, is critical of the Republican governor’s comments, calling the idea “reprehensible.” He told the radio station it was an “outrageous suggestion” to put armed personnel in schools.

Obviously Cong. Connolly has not been to Utah (or Kansas) where teachers can be armed in school. Funny thing, you don’t hear about a crazed teacher taking out a classroom in Utah. Cong. Connolly is the one insensitive and outrageous with this retort:

“I am appalled at Governor McDonnell’s reaction to the Newtown, Connecticut tragedy. When he talked about the principal and other administrators in the school lacking training in guns and not possessing guns on premises, which happens to be a violation of Connecticut law, he was, in fact, blaming the victims,” he said.

“The Governor is actually implying that this heroic principal, who gave her life to protect the children in her care, was somehow inadequate, that she could have done more.”

The Joe Donnelly campaign released this statement following the debate:

“I think rape is a heinous and violent crime in every instance,” said Donnelly. “The God I believe in and the God I know most Hoosiers believe in, does not intend for rape to happen—ever. What Mr. Mourdock said is shocking, and it is stunning that he would be so disrespectful to survivors of rape.”

I invite Cong. Connolly to go to Utah and talk to some of the teachers in that class. Here’s another interesting (I am being kind!) comment:

State Sen. Richard L. Saslaw, D-Fairfax, Democratic Leader, said the governor’s comments were ill-considered. “And when that fails to stop this, what’s next? Arm the students? If teachers wanted to carry guns in order to do their day job, they would have become policemen,” he said.

Tell that to the full class in Utah in this video. You can teach and be armed. You pray you never have to use the firearm. Because you have it, it makes it less likely you’ll ever have to use it. Time for a real debate on “gun control” and let’s hope the libertarians and constitutionalists do not end up demonized in the media like the should be Senator Mourdock did. Class dismissed.

Elwood "Sandy" Sanders is a Hanover attorney who is an Appellate Procedure Consultant for Lantagne Legal Printing and has written ten scholarly legal articles. Sandy was also Virginia's first Appellate Defender and also helped bring curling in VA! (None of these titles imply any endorsement of Sanders’ views)